NOTE: Please read original article at Building On Brownfields

Project recycles more than just land, TBA clears hurdle for home improvement outlet store

With a piece of property in mind for its home improvement outlet store, Habitat for Humanity of Seattle/South King County had one large hurdle to clear: Before it could purchase the land and warehouse and move forward, officials had to know what kind of contamination lingered below the surface.

The seller had provided Habitat with old environmental reports that indicated some groundwater contamination of uncertain origin, says Bob Gerth, a Habitat volunteer and retired CPA and businessman. When bankers hear words like “contamination,” it isn’t exactly easy to get a loan, he adds.

NOTE: Please read the original article at Building On Brownfields.

From storing grain to fostering growth, Historic silos take on new mission in Idaho

When you look at a grain silo, what do you see?

Do you see restaurants? Condos? A winery? How about a gallery or performance center, or maybe even a college research laboratory?

John and Miranda Anderson of the Anderson Group in Moscow, Idaho, see this and more. They see a chance to turn a 1-acre property at the heart of the town into a redevelopment that will foster economic growth, environmental stewardship and a celebration of the region’s agricultural roots.

This is a reprint of the EPA Region 10 Building On Brownfield’s Newsletter

Portland program pulls in another $580,000, Building relationships, sticking to goals key to success

With more than $2 million in EPA assessment and clean-up grants earned since 1996, the City of Portland’s Brownfields Program has grown to become a strong player in the brownfields arena, both at home in Region 10 and in the nation.

NOTE: This article was brought to our attention by one of our readers. Please also see original article at http://www.rebusinessonline.com/article_archive/03-14-08.shtml

Brownfields: The New Green

A Look at Upcoming Projects and How They’re Improving Communities

By Cara Aliek
Published Online 03/14/08

It seems everywhere you look these days, the message of environmental consciousness is grabbing for our attention. Gargantuan gas-guzzling SUVs are slowly being passed over for more environmentally-friendly hybrids, retailers are reaping the benefits of offering products that donate a portion of their sale to environmental protection efforts, and a growing trend — if not the largest in terms of size and money — is re-establishing the functionality of land and buildings. In some cases, these properties are designed using energy-efficient Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) principles, a trend still continuing to explode.

Nominations Open for 2008 Phoenix Awards for Excellence in Brownfields Redevelopment

*** All applications must be received by June 30, 2008

For over 10 years, the Phoenix Awards have recognized exemplary projects that transform old, contaminated areas into productive new uses. They honor individuals and groups that have implemented innovative, yet practical, programs that remediated environmentally impacted sites, and simultaneously stimulated economic development and job creation or retention. The awards showcase these successful solutions and publicize these premier redevelopment projects as models for other communities around the world.

November 2006

In 2002, Habitat for Humanity East Bay (Habitat East Bay) purchased a Brownfield property in East Oakland.

October 2006

Santa Clara’s Rivermark development is a perfect example of one very effective way to bring brownficld sites back into productive use – the urban village. Built atop 177 acres that housed the historic Agnews Developmental Center, the master planned community boasts: a pedestrian-friendly Main Street; 3,000 housing units – including detached houses and town homes – a 450-unit apartment complex, and 300 affordable housing units for seniors, the developmentally-disabled, and homeless families; a 14- acre park, pocket parks, walking trails and greenbelts; and a large shopping center.

April 2006

Local governments are seeing a great opportunity emerge from the shadows of uncertainty throughout California’s urban centers. In the redevelopment community, properties with an industrial past can inspire fear of environmental cleanup costs and liability. The question of what may or may not be in the soil or groundwater can be too much of a threat to risk an investment. The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has worked to reduce that risk and encourage communities through a program called Cleanup Loans and Environmental Assistance to Neighborhoods (CLEAN), that provides low-interest loans for investigation and clean up of urban brownfield sites.

April 2006

In the late 1980s, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) began to explore unused areas within the San Fernando Valley to develop a new bus line for improved public transportation. In 1990, MTA purchased a vacant 14-mile stretch of land formerly used as a railroad right-of-way, which extended from Woodland Hills to North Hollywood. The goal was to transform this abandoned, contaminated parcel, referred to as a brownfield property, into usable property that would support a bus system (busway) that would provide alternative transportation to passengers otherwise trapped in Los Angeles highway gridlock.

April 2006

With the changing landscape of many San Francisco Bay Area communities, residents are living closer to former industrial properties. Manufacturing processes have left a legacy of hazardous substances on and around these facilities. Residents are now faced with the potential impact of soil or groundwater contamination in their neighborhoods. Regulatory agencies oversee the environmental investigation and cleanup at former industrial sites to ensure the properties are safe for redevelopment.